I asked Microsoft for the Windows team's take on the promotion and received this statement from a spokesperson:

“Touch unlocks an entirely new way to interact with Windows that we believe represents the future of computing. We’re pleased to see how retailers such as Best Buy are promoting this at their stores, including their latest promotion that starts this weekend.”

It's going to be interesting to see whether Best Buys and Microsoft Stores themselves become more of a place to try/compare Windows PCs and tablets than an actual place to buy them. Microsoft officials have said they are committed to transforming the Windows buying experience at retailers like Best Buy and Staples. But it seems as though more and more PC and tablet buying (as opposed to "trying") is happening online....

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 30 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008). She also is the cohost of the "Windows Weekly" podcast on the TWiT network.
Got a tip? Se...
Full Bio

Disclosure

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have no business ventures that are sponsored by Microsoft or any of its partners or competitors.